


Dead Men Tell No Tales

by WritingMessByWinters



Category: Croatia NT - Fandom, Football RPF, Pirates of the Caribbean RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2019-07-01 02:05:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15764385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingMessByWinters/pseuds/WritingMessByWinters
Summary: Word count: 1345Warnings: possible trigger warning for fire, mentions of gore (descriptions of smell, not visual details), death of a friend, mentions of injuries, inappropriate language





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word count: 1345
> 
> Warnings: possible trigger warning for fire, mentions of gore (descriptions of smell, not visual details), death of a friend, mentions of injuries, inappropriate language

The heat was unbearable. I could still feel it on me, the feeling of bright flames burning everything in their path as I watched helplessly. The thick smoke spiraled around me as I struggled to breathe. It crawled it’s way into my mouth and into my eyes, making them water and close on their own free will. There was no escaping the smell of burning wood and flesh which will forever stay carved into my memory. The dreary vision of the sea ablaze and a pile of unrecognizable structure slowly drifting among the orange inferno played in my mind before I woke up gasping for fresh air. As real as it felt, it was only a dream, a fragment of a memory from two weeks ago. Drawing in large breaths of air I felt sweat dripping from my forehead, the nightmare making my white shirt completely drenched.

It was a memory from the incident that left me all alone. The last thing I remember from that day was faint sounds of a male voice and losing consciousness as the fire kept raging around me. It was truly a force to be reckoned with, unforgiving and it didn’t ask for permission, rather taking lives of every familiar face I’ve ever known. Unstoppable force - an appropriate way to describe the fire as well as the man who started it. The crew hadn’t have the time to prepare for Adventure’s attack as it so quickly and quietly sneaked up on us due to the solid wall of the morning mist. Adventure’s cannons were more than ready to start destroying at the command of it’s captain, David Herriot. By attacking our ship he committed treason, not that it has any meaning to him as he is working under the hand of the one and only Edward Teach, more commonly known as Blackbeard. There wasn’t a sailor, a pirate- hell, even a landsman, that hasn’t heard of that infamous name. Blackbeard’s reputation followed him like a plague, slithering it’s way into every ear willing to listen about the self proclaimed Pirate King. His ruthlessness was unparalleled, annihilating everything in his path that didn’t suit his wishes. The Pirate Code didn’t concern him as he made his own rules, and in his rulebook targeting and sinking fellow pirate ships was not forbidden. That heartlessness is something for which he is going to have to pay with his life.

My beating heart finally slowed down it’s pace as I sat on the bed, the swaying of the ship calming my mind. The wood cladded room I was residing in reminded me much of my quarters on board of Whydah Galley. I couldn’t help but feel a wave of sadness wash over me as I recalled my late friend Samuel Bellamy. We were inseparable since childhood, both sons of the sea with pirate blood coursing through our veins. It hasn’t come as a surprise to anyone to see us continue the ways of our fathers side by side. Sam became captain of the Whydah Galley, it’s crew appointing me as the ship’s quartermaster. Those were the days, the two of us against the world, sailing the Mediterranean sea. Now… it was only me, all alone aboard this unfamiliar ship. For the past two weeks I’ve been recovering, drifting in and out of consciousness as a fever destroyed my already poor health. A knock came from the door and as I looked up a man stepped in carrying a clean shirt, bandages and a bottle of a clear liquid. He freed his hands and pulled his dark hair away from his face before turning to me.

“Glad to see ya sittin’ up finally, it has truly been a pain in the ass bandaging your wounds when you were lying there like a dead whale.”

I looked at him questioningly and he just smiled. “Name’s Vedran, patcher of the crews injuries.” I eyed him suspiciously before speaking up with a quiet voice “Dejan.” Just that small word made my throat hurt and Vedran handed me a cup filled with water.

“You haven’t used your voice in a while, might need some getting used to.” He sat on a chair next to the bed and patiently waited for me to put the cup down. He took it out of my trembling hands and filled it with the suspicious liquor from the bottle he brought. “Now this one unfortunately isn’t for thirst, you have some stitches that need to be taken out.”

He worked quickly and in silence. As he was finishing putting a fresh bandage on a particularly deep cut in my shoulder we heard shuffling on the other side of the door. Before I could ask anything the door burst open showing a tall guy with a blonde ponytail bent at the knees wheezing for air. He stood up straight and leisurely leaned on the doorway.

“C'mon Suba, I want to see the greenie, I’m sure the cap won’t mind me passing the message, aye?” he smiled mischievously at the giant standing behind him with a scowl. He didn’t share his enthusiasm and answered with a deep frown “Don’t get on my nerves Domo, you have your orders, I have mine.” They both looked at Vedran and I, blondes curiosity more prominent. I noticed he had several tattoos along his arms and a pierced ear, but a smile never left his face making him look more friendly.

“Okay, I lied, I wanted to see if he’s hot.” the giant just rolled his eyes at him with a small smile forming on his lips “Well, I got my answer.”

Vedran chuckled beside me “It sounds to me Domo like you’re missing some company, aye?” I just sat there silently, feeling out of place as they laughed at their friend.

Blondie just shot him a look and tapped his friend on the bicep “He’s all yours sugar buns, I’m off to annoy Reba into making me something to eat, all this running made me famished.” He left and his friend entered the room looking straight at Vedran “The cap has told me to bring the newbie above as soon as you’re done.”

“Aye, let’s see if you can stand Dejan.” Vedran offered me a hand and helped me up from the bed “How are you feeling?”

“A little faint but I’ll manage.” I said quietly and he just nodded in response.

“Let’s go then.” said the giant and I followed slowly behind as he led me out of the room and through a hallway “Dejan, right? My names Danijel.” It felt weird to use my legs again and all my muscles felt sore, my shoulder feeling the worst. I watched his back, slowly shifting my gaze to the weapon on his hip and deciding against an attack. I first need to regain my strength but until then find out more about where I am so I can escape as soon as an opportunity presents itself. The wooden stairs creaked under our weight as we climbed up to the deck.

The sun blinded me and I immediately squinted trying to focus my eyes on the scene around me. The sea was fairly calm this morning, no winds cruising the air so most of the crew was either talking amongst themselves or resting in the shadows. I saw the blonde guy from before laughing next to a tall brown-haired mean looking sailor. They were surrounded by a few of their crew members who were all laughing as well. I didn’t notice I stopped and stared at them until Danijel called for me from across the deck, standing in the shade by closed doors. I hurried towards him staring at my bare feet, trying to avoid the stares from the ship’s crew. As soon as I approached him he knocked on the doors and opened them without waiting for an answer. I entered the brightly lit room and heard the door close behind me before a voice called out next to a window:

“So, the prince has finally awakened.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I took real historical pirates as characters in this fic but their real life stories don’t align with the story. There is no set year cause I’m going to use some modern items and the characters are from different times as well
> 
> -Adventure was a real ship commanded by a real pirate David Herriot and he was captured by Blackbeard in 1718., after which then joined his crew. Blackbeard’s ship is called Queen Anne’s Revenge and that might be it when it comes to true facts about those two
> 
> -The Pirate Code states that “knowingly targeting and sinking other pirate ships is strictly forbidden” therefore Herriot’s actions were treacherous
> 
> -Samuel Bellamy was also a famous pirate, his ship being the Whydah Galley. He died young, at 28, so it suits the story of him and Dejan being friends since childhood
> 
> -The crew chooses the ships quartermaster
> 
> -“a greenie” is another way to call “the new guy”, same as “newbie”
> 
> ————————————————————————
> 
> Now, we met Dejan, Čarli, Domo, Suba, and got a mention of Rebić. Who do you think is laughing with domo on the deck lol
> 
> This is a slow start but it won’t be like that all the way. Should I change anything? Any input (complaints, praises, emotions described by emojis, anything really…) will be greatly appreciated, so fire away!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word count: 2400
> 
> Warnings: swearing, inappropriate language, mentions and usage of alcohol

I watched as the captain turned and walked around the table which was all set for breakfast. He was dressed in a white shirt and loose pants, his tall frame seeming rather welcoming than from what I expected. The shirt was half open in the front showing a fraction of sculptured abs and a cross tattooed on his chest, the material being slightly see-through showing a hint of other tattoos on the tanned skin of his arms. He had the same smirk as blondie, mischievous, like a child. Dark curls covered his forehead and came right above the caramel eyes. Facial hair giving him a more rugged look, alongside with a pierced ear.

He was handsome, even I had to admit it but alas that’s not the reason why he requested my presence. I’m sure he had a more important reason than having me check him out. As if to prove my thoughts he spoke up again “Do sit, we have things to discuss but I ain’t doing that on a empty stomach.” He pulled himself a chair at the head of the table and waited for me to take a place. I reluctantly sat three chairs away from him and noticed a small frown formed on his face.

We ate in silence for some time before he said: “I’ve been informed by doc that you’ve recovered well and haven’t suffered any serious injuries. Aye, on the other hand, I am missing a whole lot of information ‘bout what 'appned to you and Whydah Galley.” For the first time since we sat down I met his gaze and spoke up: “You know of Whydah?” He sighed and looked at me solemnly “I’ve known it’s captain, we’ve crossed paths before. A fair pirate, seems like we’re lacking those lately.” I nodded slowly, agreeing with him. Sam might have been a pirate but he was a good man and at this moment I missed my friend immensely.

“Who are you?” I asked him.

“Šime, captain of the Zadar’s pearl.” he broke a piece of bread from a plate “Were you close with Sam?” he continued eating as I watched him.

I recognized the name, Šime was in fact quite known in these waters as one of the few pirates to survive an attack from The Pirate King, the same person who recently got high on my revenge list. There were some stories speculating how exactly he escaped the grips of certain death but no one dared to ask. The captain in front of me was known in these waters as The Mediterranean Prince. He managed to become captain and threaten the most known pirate since the dawn of times, all before turning twenty-six. I felt more at ease now that I’ve discovered I’m in the presence of a man who won’t in fact hand me over to Herriot or worse, Teach himself.

“I was his best friend and the ships quartermaster.”

“Quartermaster you say? I’ve heard some stories from him. Dejan, isn’t it? He spoke fondly of you.”

“Aye.”

“Tell me, what happened to you out there?”

He poured us two cups of some liquid as we sat in silence, questions filling my mind. Could I trust him? Did he even know Sam or is he lying to get information out of me? He put my cup on the table in front of me and waited for my response. How in the world am I going to escape this bloody place? There was an internal battle happening in my mind and it wasn’t helping me solve anything, rather making me more confused.

He noticed my silence and unwillingness to give out information about the incident so he stood up and walked over to his desk and opened one of the drawers. I followed his moves, suspecting that maybe not cooperating might end badly for me before I even got a chance to escape.

After rummaging around he found what he was looking for and walked back to the table extending his arm to hand me something. I noticed a tattoo on his fingers. Five letters spelling Mario. Who was Mario? I snapped back to reality and reached out to take the item from his hands, ignoring the tingles that spread through my hand as I grazed his warm palm. I was soon distracted by what was given to me, a single gold piece, nothing special at the first glance but as I looked more carefully it dawned on me that I’ve seen this before. Insignificant to most people, but not to Samuel Bellamy as that was the last thing given to him by his father before he passed. I felt anger boiling within as I turned to the captain “Where did you get this?”

“Sam gave it to me, as a guarantee.” He took a swing at his cup.

“You’re lying, Sam wouldn’t give this up, for anything.” I stared at him and clenched my fist around the coin. He didn’t even blink as if expecting such reaction.

“You two were close, since childhood from what I remember him saying. I’m sure you’ve heard the tale his father told him, about the lost treasure, and that” he said pointing to the gold piece “being nothing but a scratch on the surface. Well, turns out it isn’t just a tale, that treasure is out there somewhere and Sam came to me for help.” he tapped the surface of the table with his fingers “We made a pact, to join forces and find it together, then split the loot. We kept it a secret, only the two of us knew. He gave that to me and asked for a favor, if something happened to him I was to find the treasure at all costs. He didn’t want it falling into the hands of Blackbeards kind.”

I stared at a spot on the table, deep in thought. Sam wouldn’t sneak around like that and hide things from me.

“He wanted us to share the plan with our quartermasters, he didn’t want to hide this from you but I thought it would be wiser to keep the circle tight.” there was a slight pause as if he’s deciding whether to say what he’s thinking next “We had a backup plan just in case something happened to one of us.” I looked up and waited for him to continue “If necessary, the quartermaster of the late captain takes his place.”

I took a deep breath and rubbed my temple, feeling the dull pain of a headache start to form. I took the cup and downed half of it’s content, coughing almost all of it back up when recognizing the taste rum.

“How can I know you’re telling the truth?” Šime chuckled at that before answering “He said you’d be hard to convince. He also said that in that situation I am to remind you of something.” he frowned a little “He only said one word: Marica. I’m guessing… a female companion from your past.” he looked rather puzzled when I laughed at his answer. There was no doubt any longer, they knew each other.

“Budala… Only him…” I whispered with a smile “Not a woman, a song. We sang it together while sailing.”

With suspicion out of the way I told him what I remember from that morning, taking breaks to calm my anxiety at times. It was hard talking about it but Šime was patient and sat quietly waiting for me to finish.

“Those blimmin’ scallywags.” he muttered under his breath as he ran his hand through his hair. I found myself watching him as he swore, his eyes losing their warmth and becoming dangerously dark. Any childlike aura he had around him gone in an instant. He started pacing and whispering things to himself. “I’m gonna kill him…” could be heard as he took a glass bottle from the table, tightening his grip on it as if deciding if he wants to fling it into a wall or not. “Someone should finally teach him a lesson, god fucking damnit.” He looked out of the open window, brows furrowed as he focused on the crystal blue water outside. I held the cup in my hands, focusing on it’s content rather than staring at the distressed captain in front of me. My awkward state didn’t last long as a knock came from the door and Danijel walked in letting the sounds of the merry crew bounce off the walls of the captains cabin.

“Cap, the wind is picking up finally, what are our orders?” Šime glanced at me and set the bottle back on the table slowly.

“I’ll be right up Suba, gimme a minute.”

“Aye.” he nodded and left, closing the doors behind him. We were engulfed in silence once more.

“Your captain trusted you with his life, as will I. If you wish to join me and my crew on the hunt for the treasure, the spot is open. I’ll give you time to think, you can find me on the deck.”

I nodded in acknowledgement as he walked towards the door “I do hope you accept tho’.” was the last thing he quietly said before leaving the room. There was something in his voice that made me stare at the door in deep thought. This was Sam’s pact, not mine. It made me angry that after everything we’ve been through, this was the way I found out about it. How was I supposed to trust this crew as my own and give my life into their hands? I cursed my best friend for putting me in such a situation without a heads up. I sat at the table mulling over my decision for quite some time. Getting sick of being inside I decided to stretch my legs and find the captain to inform him of my decision. I didn’t feel indifferent to the fact that my answer would disappoint him, but alas I had to think of myself first.

The deck was full of busy sailors, all cheerfully doing their tasks. I walked to the side of the deck and smiled contently at the sight of endless water in front of me. I missed this, the vastness of space around me. It felt liberating and I closed my eyes for a second, enjoying the sounds drifting through the air and the fresh smell of the sea. It felt like I was back on Whydah. I opened my eyes and looked around, observing some of the men. I recognized one of them, standing by the mast at the center of the deck. Upon seeing me he stopped the conversation he was having and yelled in the direction of one of his mates

“You don’t have to keep checking the back Raketa, he didn’t jump out of the window.” he got closer to me with his bright smile and swung his arm around my wounded shoulder making me wince in pain “We sorta had a wager which way you’d escape, hope you don’t mind, aye?”

“Don’t mind Domagoj, he’s just a big idiot.” said Vedran behind me while walking over to join where we stood.

“Don’t paint me like that, you’re salty cause you lost the bet Čarli.”

“Too late, you painted the picture yourself already.” said another mate from the front, busy moving a barrel of rum. It was that mean looking mate he was laughing with earlier today.

“What is this, even you are turning against me Mandžo?” asked Domagoj with a pout.

Before he had a time to answer a warning shout came from above. I looked up at the crows nest, a small sailor skillfully climbing down the mast and silently landing onto the deck. His shoulder-length blonde hair was loosely tided and covered with a hat but I could still see his warm brown eyes underneath the hats shade.

“Oy Lukita, did ya notice any birds up there?” blurted Domagoj before doubling up with laughter at his joke. His friend simply smiled at his antics “Didn’t know you were interested in those Domo…” Vedran was now one laughing and high-fiving his small friend.

“Lukita, meet Dejan. Dejan, this one right here is our best barrelmen, Luka.” said Vedran pointing as he said our names.

“Nice to meet you Dejan.” I returned the greeting and he patted my back before turning to a mate sitting near us “Kova, cover for me, I need to talk to the captain.” a sailor with a short brown hair and piercing blue eyes stood up and came over “Aye, Lukita.” with swift moves he was quickly in the nest, out of sight.

Vedran and Domagoj left to finish their tasks and I followed Luka with my gaze as he walked up the stairs to the forecastle. There stood it’s captain, a hat on top of his dark curls and the helm safely in his right hand, the left one busy pointing to match the orders he shouted out. He looked at ease, like nothing could get to him while he was in charge. He looked trustworthy and I felt a spark starting to ignite the doubt over my decision. Maybe I can trust these men around me. So far every single one has welcomed me with open arms and all I did was judge them. Luka reached him and reported the information he gathered from the nest. Šime nodded and looked onto the deck looking for someone, he noticed my figure and reckoned me over.

As I neared them I caught the end of their conversation “-that’s good. Do remind Domo to clean the cannons just in case.” Luka nodded in confirmation “Aye, capt'n.” and with that he turned and left, nodding at me in passing.

“Have you come to a decision?” Šime asked me leaning onto the helm.

“I have.” only a glance was shot in my direction

“I accept.” he turned to me with a stunned face. Couldn’t blame him, I was surprised as well. If you asked me what made me change my mind I wouldn’t know the answer. “I was sure you’d say no.”

“I thought I will for sure decline as well, but here we are.” we smiled at each other. Our friendly moment was interrupted by a male voice coming from the deck:

“Where we headin’ capt'n?”

 

“Hoist the colors lads” said the captain as he grinned “Zadar is waiting.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I named his ship Zadar’s pearl as sort of a nod to Pirates of the Caribbean (The Black Pearl) and Šime’s home town (Zadar)
> 
> -a gold piece = a gold coin
> 
> -loot = treasure
> 
> -blimmin’ = fuckin’
> 
> -a scallywag/scalawag - can be used as a person who behaves badly but in an amusingly mischievous way (khm Vida khm) or as another word for a criminal, crook, culprit, lawbreaker… Šime used it as the second option
> 
> -the ships mast - jarbol
> 
> -to paint someone - to describe
> 
> -a crows nest - a small platform, sometimes enclosed, near the top of a mast, where a lookout could have a better view when watching for sails or for land (those who act as a lookout in the crow’s nest are called either a crow, lookout or a barrelman)
> 
> -the “did you notice any birds up there?” joke is a play on words because a crows job is to act as lookout, seeing a bird fly is one of the signs of near land, also a bird is a jokingly way to call a girl so Domo is subtly asking if he’s seen any girls out there - Luka’s answer is a hint for the future ;)
> 
> -forecastle - imagine there’s a deck and one part of it is higher than the rest (that’s how I see it, might be wrong)
> 
> -the helm = the wheel aka kormilo
> 
> -hoist the colors - to hoist the pirate’s flag
> 
> If there’s anything else you don’t understand, do ask :)
> 
> ————————————————————————
> 
> Any suggestions on little character quirks are very welcome.
> 
> We’ve met the captain. Rakitić, Mandžo, Luka and Kova were mentioned here. Who do you want to meet next?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word count: 2621
> 
> Warnings: swearing, inappropriate language, mentions and usage of alcohol

The rest of the day was spent in the captain’s cabin, in company of Šime and the ship’s sailing master, Ivan Perišić. Unsurprisingly, another kind and smiling face, seemingly a pattern on _Zadar’s jewel_ and it’s crew. He was a very intelligent man, taught by some of the best tutors on land. Šime nudged him into telling me his life story while he gathered all the papers they used for research. A steady job was awaiting at the end of Ivan’s education, working as a chart reader and navigation officer for the best naval privateers. But as fates willed it so, his life was turned upside-down as _Queen Anne’s Revenge_ one day set it’s course for his town. 

The raid happened before sunrise, the soil still fresh and filled with droplets of dew as Blackbeard’s heavy boots determinedly stepped on it. Proving his reputation further, he tortured and executed the townsfolk and raided their homes, only some were lucky enough to run into the woods and escape the hands of certain death. Ivan hadn’t been so lucky and was taken captive and forced to join the crew as an ordinary mate, leaving the decimated town and his life behind. Several months of scrubbing the deck and living on scraps of food passed before he set foot on land once more, fates once again slithering their way into his life and giving him a ticket out. Seizing the golden opportunity, he managed to escape from the ship and take refuge in the port of Šibenik. He said it was pot luck Šime stumbled upon him and took him under his wing.

“That one right there” he pointed at Šime who was casually leaning on a pillar listening to the story as well “saved my life. If it wasn’t for him I’d be wastin’ the rest of my life face down in the gutter. I’ll be paying my debt to him for as long as I live.”

The story would’ve sounded fictional to me if I hadn’t experienced firsthand the kindness of the man in question. The last thing you’d expect from a well-known pirate captain to be a life savior. What I learned from observing the crew is that everyone on his ship held him in highest regard. He had the ability of ordering the crew without raising his voice once, the respect the sailors had for him was truly impressive.

“Yes, I am truly a saint. Move over St. Donat, I’m taking your place.” he said sarcastically as a small blush formed on his cheeks due to all of Ivan’s praises “Enough lollygagging and let’s get to work.”

They showed me all the information they had been collecting up until now, which wasn’t much to go on with but Šime explained we were heading for Zadar as he has an informant there who could help fill in the blank spots. We studied the maps for hours, speculating the possible location of the treasure and trying to come up with a plan of action. Covering every manageable scenario against possible attacks, caused by humans or nature itself.

.

The sun had just set, veiling the sea with pitch black and allowing the moon to take over the light duty. Despite the pirate rule, the ship wasn’t included in that darkness as more than a dozen candles were put in glass bottles and hung around the deck, to give just enough light for the gathering that was in full swing. A small breeze was passing by, carrying the merry sounds from the ship further into the surrounding void. The sailors were unbothered, used to the feeling of being alone in the middle of the sea. 

Vedran helped one of his mates bring a barrel of rum closer to the crew after which all troubles were put aside, replaced by pure joy and relaxation. Everyone cheerfully talked amongst themselves, some sipping from their cups, others dancing wildly. Domo was leading the dancing, throwing his arms around and spilling the rum onto the wood beneath his bare feet and laughing maniacally.

“Nije u šoldima sveeeeeee-” could be heard from his scratchy throat, having already sung a dozen songs from the top of his lungs. He pointed at Suba waiting for him to continue the song. He refused, shaking his head no. Before Domo had the time to drunkenly sulk, another mate came in running and took hold of his hands while spinning him around “Neka te tu kraj meneeee!” as expected, all the rum from the cup now residing on the wooden planks.

“Yes, Krama, that’s what I’m talkin’ about! Poludi! Sva u zlatu nek sjaaaaaa!”

“Mati Dalmacijaaaa!” they finished the chorus with the crew joining in, all belting the lyrics together.

Suba just shook his head at his idiotic drunk friends and turned to me “Every time we throw a celebration they get drunk and act like idiots. I apologize in _their names_ as they can’t currently remember _those_.” I laughed out loud, feeling the rum kick in and relaxing me slightly. 

Suba spent the day with us in the cabin, eagerly taking part in planning the upcoming adventure. Šime recalled during our planning that I was yet to be appointed a position on the ship. The individuals present all agreed that a position of second quartermaster suited me the most “The crew will agree with us, now hold your tongue and hand me that piece of parchment” declared Šime leaving me no place an for an argument. That being decided, Danijel took it upon himself to show me around the ship and it’s rooms. I was to sleep in the quartermaster cabin with him - on separate beds of course, as he pointed out. We bonded over the walk-around especially when he asked me to watch guard as he sneaked something into Domo’s bed. He wouldn’t tell me what it was “You’re simply going to wait and see.” chuckling to himself at the thought. 

We were now standing on the sidelines of the fun, our job for the night being to “watch over the drunk rascals and make sure no one gets hurt” as Šime so kindly put it. It sounded like they had experienced such situations plenty of times.

“I don’t mind, I haven’t had a good time in… well, quite some time.”

We watched together as Domo and his friends made fools of themselves. I looked around noticing that one man was missing from the celebration, Šime. “Say, you have any idea where the captain is?”

“He said he’ll come out as soon as he’s done with something, didn’t give much details.” I nodded and focused on the mess in front of me.

The crew kept tirelessly singing the songs, only stopping when a mate came from below the deck carrying a large plate of food.

“Reba, did I tell you already how much I love you?”

“You did Lukita, plenty of times.” he said smiling down at Luka who enveloped him in a bear hug. Domo came by skipping and planted a huge sloppy kiss on his cheek “Stop that ya drunk bastard and help me get the rest of the food.” They disappeared below but not for long, coming up with a plate in each hand fully mounted with food, Domo’s plates wobbling slightly due to his drunken strut.

After trying some of the food, I understood the shared love the crew seemed to have towards their cook, it truly tasted like heaven. I sat next to Danijel and listened in to the chattering around us. Twenty or so sailors piled next to one another, most of them drunk off their asses.

“Yo, Kova! Throw me some bread.” suddenly there was a large bun flying across the air and hitting it’s mark across the makeshift table of several barrels. There was a grunt and an angry shout following it:

“I said _some_ bread you idiot, not a gigantic blimmin’ loaf!”

“Not my fault you can’t catch shit Piva.”

“Oh, you lil shit…” his response was interrupted by another bread toss, this one coming from Mandžo, hitting Kova straight in the forehead. I quietly laughed along with the rest of the crew at his confused face and the banter happening in front of us.

“Seems to me like neither of you children know how to catch.” Mandžo smirked.

“I would appreciate you not tossing the food around, it took an awful long time to prepare.” that made all three sailors (with some other help, Domo) throw a piece of bread at Reba’s head “Screw you guys.”

While we were sitting around and devouring the food in front of us Suba introduced me to Rakitić who was sitting next to my new roommate.

“So, there are two of you called Ivan?” I asked

“Actually, three of us, Strina over there is also part of our little clan.” he pointed to another blonde whose scruffy chin was smeared with sauce. Rakitić watched him with disgust “Anyways, you can call me Raketa, everyone here does so already, Strina’s last name is in fact Strinić and you’ve met Perišić, I presume.” I helped myself with another serving of meat and potatoes

“What is your position on the ship?” my question came out muffled

“I am the ships boatswain, along with Lovre over there.” he pointed his thumb in the direction of a tall guy sitting across from us

My train of thoughts was interrupted by a yell from the guy Suba told me was named Andrej Kramarić

“AJMO TINČEK, DERI!” it was aimed at one of the youngest crew members Tin Jedvaj, who was chugging rum from his cup

“POLUDI!” was Domo’s reaction as he cheered on his mate. He added something else in a lower tone and the guys around him doubled over. Domo was obviously the crews main joker, constantly telling jokes and making everyone cry from laughter.

“Ah, the captain finally joins us!” I turned around and noticed Šime walking over. Hair tousled from his hands going through it numerous times undoubtedly.

“Scoot over now, will you?” he asked me and I ignored the weird feeling simmering inside me. _Why would I feel happy over the fact he chose to sit next to me,_ _I barely know the man_. He probably chose to sit by me ‘cause I’m his guest. Aye, that’s got to be it. He made himself comfortable and began to feast, mumbling with a full mouth “Ante, you really outdid yourself this time.”

The chatter continued on, with no more bread throwing incidents but plenty of laughter. The more I found out about the man sitting next to me, the more I was astonished. Dining with the crew was unheard of for a captain, a rule he dismissed as soon as he took command of the ship which Suba informed me of later on in the evening.

“Mario, hand me some of that chicken!” yelled Šime over the loud racket. My hand stopped on it’s way to my mouth. _Mario?_ Mandžo handed him the meat and continued stuffing his mouth. Hold up, Mandžo’s name was _Mario_? I glanced at Šime’s hand. Why would he have his mates name tattooed on his fingers? I was too distracted by my thoughts to hear the captain asking me a question. He tapped the arm that was now leaned against my leg, forgotten food still in my grip. He leaned in closer so I could hear him better “Hey, you alright?” I nodded

“Aye, just thinking.”

He didn’t push the subject further “So, I asked if you’d be willing to teach us that song of yours. Marica, was it? Never heard of it…” he leaned away from me while saying that, the warmth of his body leaving with him. I suddenly got an unexpected urge to lean back closer to him, liking the warmth his body emitted. His voice wasn’t loud but was apparently loud enough for Domo to overhear.

“Did I hear something about a song?” he looked at the two of us with a wide grin

“I’m afraid you don’t know this one Domo,” Šime answered him which got the crews attention “but you might after tonight if our guest is in the mood for singing?” he raised a brow at me pointedly as if to challenge me

“Woah there, bold of you to assume I don’t know all the songs capt'n.” Domo looked deeply offended

“What do you say Dejan, you up for some singin’?” I sighed in resignation and chugged the rest of my rum.

The next twenty minutes or so were spent teaching the drunken crew and their captain the lyrics to Marica. I wouldn’t be as bold to sing in front of strangers if it wasn’t for the rum. It felt weird singing it without my best friend by my side. Pushing those sorrowful thoughts aside I smiled at the insanity in front of me, making them joyous helped healing the gaping hole in my heart, even if just by a fraction. I knew this pain would never leave my side but I had to start somewhere.

“Thank you, truly.” said the voice beside me

“Sam would’ve wanted me to do this, to pass on our stupid tradition. Ya know, we made up that song after a lass dumped his poor arse.”

Šime snickered “What did he do?”

“Oh, he got drunk and made out with her brother.” I said laughing along with the captain “She unfortunately didn’t know at the time that he swung both ways…”

We stood in comfortable silence, simply enjoying each others company and watching the chaos slowly die down. We observed as some crew mates left to get some well deserved rest. On the other hand, some didn’t want to stop the celebration. 

I could see Mario yelling at Domo “Get off the edge you drunk idiot, you’ll fall overboard!” Domo was perfectly unbothered, preforming a rum-infused version of “Marica” for the crew, even including a strip show, all while barely holding onto the ropes. Thankfully Mandžo stood near him, waiting for a slip-up so he could finally drag his mate to a well needed rest. Having a shirt thrown at his frowning face by Domo along with air kisses turned out to be the last straw as he propped his mate over his wide shoulders and dragged him to the sleeping quarters, followed by the crews applause and whistles. Some were clapping for the performance, others welcoming the silence that finally swept over the mighty vessel.

After seeing that performance I felt the exhaustion washing over me “Goodnight Dejan, see you bright and early.” said Šime with a grin while walking over to his sleeping quarters. I smiled faintly, my feet slowly following after Suba to our cabin. Domo’s soft humming could be heard throughout the hallway. It was a long and eventful day, which will turn out to be only a fraction of what tomorrow brings. I finally placed my head on the soft pillow and sleepily mumbled a “goodnight” in Danijel’s direction. My mind slowly started to shut off and drift to sleep when we heard a piercing scream from a room near us that affectively got rid of the sleepiness:

“WHY THE FUCK IS THERE A RAT IN MY BED?”

There was a quiet chuckle on the bed next to me “Please tell me you didn’t.”

“Oh, I would be lying if I said that.”

With my eyes drooping once more a realisation crossed my mind. I was all too quickly warming up to the men around me, the mere thought of it scaring me senseless. I was never the one to trust so easily, but this felt different, surprisingly warm and comforting.

 

 

It felt like _home_.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -St. Donat cause ya know Zadar is his hometown and all lol
> 
> -one of pirates rules is “The lights and candles shall be put out at eight at night, and if any of the crew desire to drink after that hour they shall sit upon the open deck without lights.”, I’m guessing mainly for safety reasons so they wouldn’t draw attention to themselves
> 
> -reminder - the crew usually decides who’s going to be quartermaster
> 
> -boatswain/bosun/bos'n - he supervises the other members of the ship’s deck department
> 
> If there’s anything else you don’t understand, do ask :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word count: 2830  
> Warnings: swearing, inappropriate language, mentions and usage of alcohol, mention of N*kola

Another nightmare woke me from my sleep early in the morning. Unlike the day before, when I woke up I had a friendly face looking at me with worry etched in his eyes. Danijel was standing near my bed and asked if I was alright before handing me a glass of water. I had just enough energy to mumble a small "I'll be fine" before he nodded and informed me he was needed on deck.

I heard the door close and I let out a deep breath. My heart was still beating fast from the nightmare as I fumbled around my pockets looking for the coin. I found it and laid back on my back, putting my left hand behind my head and absentmindedly flipping Sam's gold piece between the fingers of the right one.

The only source of light was coming from a candle Danijel left to burn on a stand between our beds and the part of the sky that was visible from our window, it had barely started showing hits of lighter shades. I didn't notice the sky or a fly buzzing near my head, my mind was focused on the item in my hand.

I was trying to convince myself that the events from several weeks ago and the loss I experienced weren't in vain, that it was destiny that somehow brought me on this ship. All of the mind tricks I was playing with myself were failing, leaving me feeling more miserable than ever. Overwhelmed with emotions, I felt a small tear trickle across my cheek and down my neck. The nightmares shook me up way more than I foresaw, and the worst part of it all was that no one understood how I felt.  
.  
As soon as I stepped on the deck the pressure from my shoulder lifted a little, the cold morning breeze from the sea calming me down and clearing my mind.

Not a lot of sailors were up yet, most still snoozing after last nights fun. I dragged my feet up to the forecastle where I could see a blurry image standing behind the helm. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and leaned on the forecastles rail, staring at the magnificent sunrise in front of us.

The sky was now fully awake, filled with rose and tangerine hues, pure scattered light dancing across the vast space above us. A thin morning mist surrounding us making it seem like we were floating on a cloud, away from worries that await below.

"I've always loved mornings, it's peaceful. No screaming Domo…" the man behind me mumbled quietly.

I turned to look at him and first noticed that his eyes looked sleepy, the curls on top of his head a complete mess. Nevertheless, he was fully dressed in his finest clothes, a long crimson damask doublet with intricate gold stitching was casually draped over his shoulders. Underneath he had a simple white linen shirt and dark breeches over which sat a lavish leather belt holding his weaponry. His feet were covered with quality leather boots and I couldn't help but stand still and stare, mouth agape.

I glanced down at my bare feet and felt strangely out of place, my raggedy look outshined by the handsome man in front of me. I couldn't help but get flustered at the thoughts running through my head so I awkwardly busied myself with massaging my sore shoulder to avoid meeting his gaze.

"It's a bit over the top, I know… It was given to me as a gift from the citizens of my hometown. I wear it every time I go back." he seemed rather embarrassed by the situation as well and I only hoped that my staring didn't make it worse.

"Anyway, I've given myself the freedom to choose some weapons for you, they're over there." he pointed at the table behind him.  
"Thank you." he simply smiled and started whistling the tune of Marica quietly. My heart warmed up slightly at that sight but I was soon distracted by inspecting my new arms. They were all in pristine condition, undoubtedly costing an arm and a leg. A cutlass, a boarding axe and a blunderbus were accompanied by a similar leather belt as the one Šime had.

A yell from the crow's nest startled me for the second time since I've been awake on this ship "Land ho!" it was a voice of the ship's last crow I was introduced to. He sluggishly descended from the nest and trudged towards us.

"Capt'n, there's land 'bout 18 kilometers upwind." he yawned loudly, his short brown hair all over the place.  
"Thank you Livi. Go wake the rest of the crew."  
"Aye capt'n."  
"Danijel, take over please." said Šime to his quartermaster who was standing near us, staring into the distance "Dejan, follow me."

We passed by Raketa and Lovre who were sitting on barrels and quietly talking amongst themselves, both visibly tired.  
Šime's back was turned to me as we walked and I was admiring the detailing on the doublet, fighting the urge to touch the fabric that was covering his broad shoulders. We arrived to his quarters and he walked straight to his closet, taking out several clothing items and handing them to me.

"Here, these have been collecting dust for a while, they should fit you." he handed me a similar set like his, except this one was in a deep royal navy shade and with less intricate detailing.  
"Are you sure you want to give this to me?" I asked him, surprised by all the gifts I've received from him in such short time.  
"Of course" he smiled softly.  
He allowed me to change in peace and left the room to find one of his mates. I couldn't help but admire the fabric beneath my fingers as I put it on me, checking the reflection in the mirror trying to fix any crinkles.  
.  
When I emerged on the deck again I was welcomed by a loud whistle of approval and before I knew it Domo had his arm draped over my injured shoulder "Damn Dejo, you really know how to clean up, don't you?" my cheeks blushed at the attention Domo attracted to us and the sound of my nickname being used again after a long time. The sailors returned their focus back to their tasks, Mario's gaze lingering a bit longer on Domo's ecstatic face.

The air was much warmer than before and the sky was decorated with fluffy clouds all across, the sun finding cracks in them to spread it's light.  
Vedran appeared from the shadows of the lower deck and noticed my pained expression "Domo, how many times do I have to remind you that Dejan is still injured?" he smacked his arm away from me and asked "How's the shoulder? I need to put fresh bandages on it before you leave."

"Still aches."

"Wait here, I'll bring my kit. It won't take long." he returned below, his dark-haired head disappearing from sight.

"And didn't I tell you to check if the cannons are all good to go?" Suba came up from behind me and stared sternly at his friend "What good is a master gunner to us if he's not doing his job?"

"I did do it, and I checked two times just in case. Suba, I'm offended that you don't take me seriously." Danijel just rolled his eyes at that and mumbled something along the lines of "If any of that is true I will turn Lukita into a saint, carve an altar out of wood and start worshiping him."

Vedran returned and sat me on a barrel to re-bandage the wound while the other two bickered. His moves were quick and painless and he was done in no time.

"Thank you Vedran." he simply grumbled back "How many times do I have to tell you bagudino, it's Čarli…"

"Well then Suba, my dear friend, you got yourself a new religion. Our lil crow, brother Modrić, will take care of us at the seas."

"Oh, shut up Rat-boy."

I excused myself from the conversation and went to join Lovre who was leaning onto the helm looking ahead. The view up here was much better and I could see the nearing land, the wind working in our favor and pulling us quickly to our destination.

We stood next to one another in silence, making small talk from time to time. The buildings could be visibly seen from the ship now, the seagulls boldly approached our ship, landing near the nest and annoying the youngest crow, Livi, as he tried to munch on his breakfast in peace.

"There it is, _Zadar_." Lovre informed me and yawned loudly.

He looked at me lazily and brushed several bread crumbs from my coat's shoulders, simply shaking his head at his mate from above who was now feeding the birds sitting near him with a grumpy face.  
.  
As we pulled up into the harbor a distinctive sound of a church bell could be heard from the city along with childish screams. We were welcomed by a mass of people, mostly children who were ecstatic to see the captain, all cheering "Vratia se Šime! Barba Šime!" everyone had giant smiles on their faces and I glanced up to Šime beside me who was as giddy as the children below us, waving at them and laughing out loud.

His eyes showing nothing but pure joy and love for the people that came to greet us. You could notice it from a mile away how happy he was to be back, his shoulders free of any burden and a smile stretching from ear to ear.

The captain informed us in earlier that he chose Lovre and Mandžo to accompany us into the town, leaving Suba to unload the cargo with the crew and get fresh food supplies. As we stepped on land I could faintly hear Danijel order the crew to start carrying the cargo off the ship.

We moved slowly through the crowd, with everyone trying to shake hands with Šime and the kids never leaving his side, some of them clinging onto his coat, others running frantically around him. He simply laughed at the younglings that surrounded him and said "I'm afraid I have some important business to attend to…" which was followed by a collective groan of disappointment "But, I'm sure I can find a few minutes to play with you little devils later." the children cheered before running away to continue their play by the docks.

Šime lead our little group towards the city, making numerous turns and bringing us to a halt at a sign that read _The Sailor's Daughter_. He looked around the busy street, squinting slightly in the direction we came from before pushing the heavy wooden doors and entering the darkness.

The tavern was loud, busy with the townsfolk drinking and chatting amongst themselves. It was a fairly large place but it seemed well kept and surprisingly tidy.

"Well, well, well… look what the cat dragged in." a tall man stepped towards our group and I instinctively reached out to my weapons

"Come 'ere you bloody bastard." he enveloped Šime in a big hug before I could react. I glanced behind me and noticed both Lovre and Mandžo seemed to be at ease so I sighed quietly in relief, placing my blunderbus back onto the belt.

"Zlatko you're choking me, c'mon." Šime mumbled into the shoulder of the dark-haired man.

"I can't help myself, I missed ya." the strangers kind eyes looked at me questioningly as he let go of Šime "Iva told me you'd be comin', didn't think it would be this quickly."

"It's a matter of urgency, I'm afraid we don't have much time together." he looked around the tavern nodding his head to greet some of the men inside

"You mentioned Iva, where is she?"

The older man pointed his thumb to the door at the back of the room that had two men standing guard "The usual, she's working."

He lead our group around the busy place, the guards noticed Zlatko and quietly moved aside to let us through. The large room we entered was dimly lit by a dozen candles, making the air inside warm and smell of vanilla. In the center of the room was a huge table, made for at least fifteen people and at it's head stood a figure slouched over a mountain of papers.

She looked up when we walked in, her messy blonde hair framing her face but it wasn't enough to hide the bright smile when her eyes found Šime. He came over to her as she put her glasses on the table and enveloped her with his strong arms.

They let go of each other and she sighed deeply "Let me look at you…" she touched the ends of his curls "You look like a sheep, a cut would do you good." as the two bantered Mario, Lovre and Zlatko sat at the table and started discussing something between them. I stood still at the door looking around the room with curiosity.

"It's not that bad, it makes me seem older, don't you think?" he caught my gaze and winked at me. It didn't escape Iva's watchful eye and she focused on me, noticing my outfit and cocking an eyebrow at Šime.

"And who this might be?" she asked no one in particular but I had a feeling she directed the question at me.

"My name is Dejan, ma'am."

Her eyes widened with recognition. She stepped closer to me, stopping at arms length and studied my face carefully "You're Sam's Dejan?" before I had a chance to answer she hugged me tightly with tearful eyes. My confused face found Šime's who was silently dying of laughter at the sight of my bulged eyes. I hugged her back slowly, an unexplainable urge to comfort her kicking in.

How is it that everyone I met seemed to know my best friend? I don't think he ever stepped foot in this town yet somehow this tiny lady in front of me knew him.

She let go of me and said "Well, I've heard lots about you, but we haven't had an opportunity to meet. My name's Iva Olivari, I run this tavern." she turned towards the rest of men in the room and growled the next sentence "But lately it seems that worrying about all my adoptive sons has become my full time job." all four of them smirked lightly, even Zlatko.

The three of us sat down and Šime spoke up "I trust everyone at this table with my life," his eyes stopping on me as if to assure me of his words "and I ask that none of what I'm about to tell you leaves this room." everyone grumbled and nodded in confirmation before he started to explain every piece of information we had about the treasure. Iva and Zlatko interrupted several times to ask questions nevertheless, his presentation didn't last long.

"As you can see, we don't have much to pursue. Has anyone heard any rumors, we need all the help we can get?" the captain's eyes looked around the table waiting for someone to speak up.

"Šime, are you sure you want to go down that path?" Iva asked with worry in her voice "It's a dangerous one, deadly in fact. You already escaped the jaws of death from that… man once before, I wouldn't test my luck if I were you."

He smiled at her and reached out to take her hand in his "I know you're worried for all of us, but I made a promise that I intend to keep." she sighed deeply at his answer.

"I might have something that could help you…"

She was about to start speaking again when we heard the main door of _The Sailor's Daughter_ open loudly.  
The room outside the door got even louder as Šime and Iva shared a knowing look "They're here." both of them stood up and headed towards the door.

The amount of people drinking and wildly chatting has doubled but a loud whistle coming from Šime's mouth silenced everyone and turned all attention on him.

"Where are they, the three scoundrels?"

The crowd laughed and three men stepped forward, one by one hugging the captain. Šime turned and reckoned me over "Dejan, come here. I want you to meet my three brothers." I stood next to him as he pointed at the new faces while stating their names

"Meet the rest of our sailors. These two are both called Marko but we all call them by their last names, Pjaca and Rog." they both smiled at me and shook my hand before heading off to grab themselves a pint of beer. Šime pointed to the last man stading near us:

"And the third musketeer is Nikola Kalinić."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:  
> -damask - type of fabric  
> -doublet - a coat  
> -breeches - trousers generally worn by British pirates  
> -cutlass - a blade, length of about two feet, was slightly curved with a single edge  
> -blunderbus - a short, wide bore shotgun, flared at the muzzle, could be devastating at short range scattering lead balls in a wide arc at the enemy  
> -I found information that distance seen from the crows nest could be seen up to 20ish kilometers, my nautical knowledge is poor so I'll leave it as it is, if anyone has wisdom to share about this you're free to hit me up  
> -a master gunner - leader of small man groups who were in charge of aiming, firing, resetting, swabbing and loading the cannons; they were in charge of all artillery; I chose Domo to be the master gunner cause I think he would be smart and crazy enough for that position  
> -Brother Modrić reference dedicated to the No Good Gang <3  
> -I'm gonna add a "thank you" to all of our three retired players into the fic cause I'm still not over that, so here you go, Čarli's thank you was in this chapter  
> -Suba as quartermaster takes care of the ship's supplies


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word count: 3086  
> Warnings: swearing, inappropriate language, mentions and usage of alcohol, mention of N*kola

I shook hands with the third new mate before he quietly asked to talk to Šime somewhere private, all while looking at me suspiciously.   
They walked back into the room we just came from and closed the door behind them. I followed their movements until I couldn't see a the black curly hair anymore.   
I sighed and looked around the busy room with tired eyes, the nightmare still troubling my mind. My gaze focused on the rowdy surroundings, stopping after a few moments when noticing a mop of dark frizzy hair that belonged to a dark skinned man who was happily chatting with the men around him.   
My heart warmed at the sight of a familiar face and I heard a loud laugh come from his mouth just before his eyes suddenly found mine from across the room. His reaction instantly changed as he gaped in shock for a seconds before hurriedly putting down his drink and rushing towards me.   
I started walking to meet him and was thrown back from the force of his sudden hug when he finally reached me.  
"Dejo, you bloody bastard! I missed you!" a beaming smile never left his face as he looked me up and down, his gaze stopping slightly on my new coat.  
"I missed you to Mo." I put my hand on his shoulder and smiled back, feeling completely at ease with the man beside me "Not that I'm complaining about seeing my old friend but what are you doing here?"   
"Hasn't Šime told you already?" he seemed confused for a moment, leading me towards his crew "I'm sure he's gonna tell you the plan later on. Give me a second, I'll go get you a drink." he said quickly leaving me no place to argue.   
I shook my head at him and greeted the men who were drinking away and laughing. They were members of Mo's crew and he was the captain of The Scarab, a mighty Egyptian vessel.  
I met them all for the first time when our paths crossed somewhere around Greece. Mo became a good friend to Sam and I, both of our crews acting like family members due to the adventures we had together.  
Mo returned with more drinks and we spent the next hour catching up. I told him what happened to Sam and where I've been ever since.   
The news about Samuel hadn't surprised him as he received the news already but he lowered his head and asked his crew for a moment of silence so he could make a toast in his honor.   
Just as he finished his short toast I saw the door open from across the room and Šime came out into the light of the tavern, saying something quickly to Nikola and beelining towards the bar.   
Mo noticed my distracted gaze and smirked slowly muttering a small "So… I see you throwing that loved up look at the captain, what's with that?" so only I could hear him.  
"Don't you dare start this again Mo, you're not meddling with my love life again. The last time was a disaster." I said quickly without realizing that I involuntarily admitted that I like Šime.   
Mo's eyes have budged out and i just swore under my breath after realizing my big mistake.   
He grabbed my forearm tightly, making me wince in pain and pulling me slightly to the side "Are you telling me… that Mr. Love-ren has a crush?" with an excited kid-like voice. I rolled my eyes at him and avoided the question completely "I'm getting myself a refill."   
My escape wasn't fast enough to avoid a yell coming from him over the crowd's heads "Oh, I'll see my ship sail, I'll make sure of it, don't you worry!"  
I groaned in frustration and sat at the bar, ordering myself some rum.

.

It was midday when the tavern got even more crowded. It hadn't come as a surprise to anyone when the doors of the tavern opened loudly, hitting the wall and Domo walked in with Kova and Ante under each arm, all three singing loudly:  
"Evo mene moji ljudi doša sam vam na bevanduuuuu!" all three wore their hats to protect them from the sun, and as soon as they stepped inside Domo took it off and threw it in the laughing crowd while bellowing the lyrics further on.   
One of the men caught the hat and yelled:  
"Veeder, I missed you!" Domo's shocked face didn't last long and he jumped over the tables to hug his friend "Dudu! You old fart, where have you been?" I watched from the bar as Domo talked wildly with the dark-skinned man with a giant smile while greeting other men around him.   
The rest of Šime's crew piled in through the door, some heading to grab themselves a drink, others following Domo and greeting their friends that they haven't seen in a long time.   
I noticed from the corner of my eye a figure joining me at the table in the corner of the room while I watched the crowd. Her blonde hair was now pulled from her face and pushed a cup in front of me before speaking up "You know, you're so much like your old man…"   
The statement caught me by surprise and turned my attention to her, wonder evident on my face "How did you know my father?"  
"I met him when he was young, somewhere around your age. You're both strong-willed, I can see that clear as day." she smiled faintly "You know, Šime is like that as well." she added before taking a sip of her drink.  
I didn't know what to answer so I hummed in response.  
"I'm like a mother to him, you know? I am protective over him… but that fool trusts too much for his own good." she said sharply as if to indicate something "I trust you. You are the least of my worries if you're even near a good man as your father was."  
I noticed the anger in her voice and turned my body towards her so we can talk more privately "I have a feeling that there is something following."  
She took a sip, a worried look on her face. She looked over her shoulder check if anyone could be listening before she spoke in a hushed tone "I heard a whisper saying that The Mediterranean Prince has a mole on his ship. I told him this already, but he won't listen to me. I am worried for him Dejan, he has to take this rumor as a real possible threat." she looked sad while saying this to me but her voice never wavered, sounding clear and strong as ever.  
"What can I do?" my eyebrows furrowed as I took a sip of my drink.  
"Try and find out who it is." we both noticed Mario coming our way with a tired look on his face "And watch his back Dejan, please. He needs you." she gave me one final pointed look before turning around to greet the sailor.  
A mole on our ship, in our midst. I racked my brain in silence, trying to think of anyone who would betray Šime in such way but couldn't think of anyone.  
"Can I join you two, I think I will go insane if I have to take care of those children for any longer?"  
He sat down and all three of us looked to see what was happening in the tavern.  
It was absolute chaos, everyone got either tipsy or drunk by now, enjoying their time with fellow pirates.   
Domo orchestrated a sing along for the whole crowd while standing on top of one of the tables, shirtless Krama and Perišić standing by him belting the song together.  
"Kome bi šumilo more moje sinjeeeeeee??" the crowd answering the next line in their drunken states.   
Andrej's fellow gunner joined them on the makeshift stage and Mario muttered beside me "Who the hell let Piva on that table… Where is Suba when you need him?"   
Only then I noticed the absence of the tall quartermaster "Where is he, Mario?" I asked him while casually ducking a cup that was thrown over our heads.  
"He stayed back to deal with some business for Šime and told the crew to meet us all here. I don't know what went through his head to leave Domo in charge…" he was staring at the blonde man intensely, gripping his cup tightly as Ante approached the table they were preforming on and handed Domo a new cup.  
Domo awarded his fellow crew member with a mischievous wink before continuing the song.  
Iva laughed at that and glanced at Mario, noticing his rigid posture "You don't mind Ante buying your boyfriend a drink?" she winked at me just in the moment when Mario started choking on his drink at her question.  
"We're not together…" he mumbled and slouched in his seat.  
"Well why the hell not, you big buffoon?" she retorted angrily "I've been telling you this for years, if you wont ask him, someone else will. And I believe that might happen soon." she said and pointed at Domo whose arm was around Ante now, smiling widely at him as they sang together.  
I ignored Mario's incoherent mumbling as I noticed Šime across the room talking to one of the new members I met earlier. Their faces were close and they seemed to be talk quietly between each other in the midst of all of the chaos.   
I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy wash over me as I watched the two converse.  
I liked Šime, only as a friend. This is what my mind was trying to convince me.  
Then why did I feel like this when seeing him near other people? I felt like I wanted to get closer to him, to protect him.  
I wasn't alone with my thoughts for long as Domo dropped by our table, slipping on something and almost falling face down if it hasn't been for Mario's fast reflexes.  
"Thank you sugar." he said to now a blushing Mario. I thought I saw wrong so I looked back on his face and indeed noticed a small blush creeping on his cheeks.   
Iva coughed loudly beside me as if to say "Told you."   
"I want to give you something out of gratitude for saving my ass right now." Domo said slowly, struggling with his words and slightly swaying in the seat he occupied.   
He focused hard on putting his cup down on the table and started to rummage through his pants pockets for something he could give to his friend. They were completely empty except for one small item. He grabbed Mario's hand and put the item on his palm.  
"Really, a cork? That's all you have in your pockets, you idiot?" Mandžo sighed exasperatedly and shook his head at his drunk friend whose beaming smile never left his face.  
"Yup! But you love me, c'mon." he looked hopefully at his mate.  
"Yeah, yeah, of course I do…" he muttered as he stood up and helped Domo on his feet "I think he's had enough, I'm going to take him to the Pearl to rest. Night guys." he downed his drink and nodded his head to us while dragging his friend with him.   
Domo turned around in his arms to wave us a drunk goodbye before they exited the establishment.   
The glimpse of the outside showed that the sun was slowly starting to set.  
"Is this seat taken?" Šime asked me about the chair beside me that Mario had occupied several minutes ago.  
I shook my head no and he made himself comfortable, shifting his coat slightly to sit easier. With Domo's departing the crowd seemed to get a little quieter, some of them leaving The Sailors Daughter with their friends while chatting loudly.  
"I told the crew to go back to the ship soon and rest. They've tired themselves out and I need them to be on high alert at all times. Now especially." I looked up at the worried captain.  
"What do you mean now especially?" he looked at Iva who was silently listening to the conversation as well.  
"I spoke with Rog, he got a note from Suba saying he saw some Blackbeards dragoons while doing a job for me." Iva glanced at me, silently reminding me of our talk and her plea to take care of Šime for her.  
"You two need to go as well. Go get some rest and come here tomorrow. We have some unfinished business to discuss." with that Iva got up from the table and went to help attend the now not-so-crowded bar.  
Šime and I finished our drinks and said our goodbyes to Iva before heading out of the door into the fresh air.   
We walked side by side, both of us making small talk while looking around on high alert.  
As we got closer to the port, we immediately knew something was wrong when noticing Suba's tall frame pacing on the boardwalk.   
We exchanged glances and hurried our pace while drawing our weapons.  
"Danijel!" Šime called out "What happened?" there was slight panic in his voice as he looked around, expecting Teach's men to jump out.   
Suba started walking over to us as soon as he hear his name, his face showing anxiousness.  
"Captain! Blackbeards men… they ambushed the crew as they were returning back to the ship." he told us quickly and both Šime and I quickly asked  
"Is anyone hurt?"  
"They got several cuts and bruises but managed to fight them off. Čarli is taking care of them as we speak." Šime sighed deeply, his shoulders relaxing a tiny bit as he put away his weapon. 

However, Suba's face didn't change, now looking even more worried.

"Danijel, what is it?" I asked my friend as concern took over my brain. 

"Not everyone made it back." 

.

Nighttime was creeping around the corner, the darkening sky connecting with the calm sea like long lost lovers, forming a dark backdrop.   
The air was chilly, a thick mist surrounding the large wooden vessel. A light breeze moved the ship's sails slightly, as if whispering some secrets to the pitch black fabric that was hung above everyone's heads. The ship's dark wood wasn't well kept, it was decorated with cracks and a layer of filth.  
The crew's attention drifted from their tasks towards the group of several men that had just stepped onto the ship.   
Loud "boo's" and threats were thrown around as the group crossed the deck and got closer to the helm. The sunken looking sailors were showing signs of bloodlust on their faces as they bared their teeth at the prisoner who was walking in their midst.   
The man in question was walking with a sliver of fear shown on his face, his eyes shifted around him before they focused on the figure ahead, whose back was turned to the rest of the crew.   
"Silence!" yelled a sailor next to him to quiet down the crew, turning to his master ahead "Captain… we have a member of your enemy's crew. He surrendered, said he wants to Parley with the mighty Blackbeard."  
The man turned his head slightly to the side at the news, a hint of a dark beard coming into sight. He threw his compass on the table beside the helm and mumbled something to a crew member beside him, adding a louder  
"Didn't I say not to disturb me with such silly news Antoine, if it's not the kid himself that you have imprisoned, I do not care. Throw him overboard." his back was still turned as he said those words, the large shoulders covered with a heavy black coat moved in annoyance with each breath.   
The captor smiled devilishly after hearing his orders, but the prisoner spoke up with a quiet yet strong voice before he could carry them out:   
"You might want to listen to what I have to offer."  
Antoine stopped fiddling with the prisoners chains, his smile disappearing and looked back to his captain with a frown on his face.   
Blackbeard's posture immediately changed with that sentence and all of the crews small talk suddenly died down.   
The man finally turned around and faced his prisoner, his sharp face showing anger at the disrespect he just showed him.   
A barely audible animalistic growl could be heard as he limped with his wooden leg towards the chained man, every step making a dull sound against the floorboards. Stopping at arms length he stared the sailor down, snarling back:  
"What information could you possibly have that would interest me, scum?"   
The man in front of him simply stared ahead, avoiding the pirates eyes "You are the enemy of so called The Mediterranean Prince, are you not?" he answered, now looking straight into the black lifeless orbs.   
He hid the fear well, his trembling hands tightened into fists to stop them from shaking too much. Blackbeard squinted as the man continued "I have some information about him, or rather… where he is going next."  
Some bold crewmembers began to whisper amongst themselves, aware of the fact that the conversation now shifted to the treasure they were after. The captain's expression hasn't changed, his face and posture still unmoving as a statue.   
Blackbeard took a small breath muttering "Silence." with such ferocity that he cut the air like a knife with the unspoken promise of consequences that would follow if the request is not satisfied.   
His crew understood the meaning behind that one word and held their tongues, backing away slightly to create some distance from their now visibly angry captain.  
"Amuse me, vermin… why would you dare to come here and think I would spare your life, even after getting that information out of you?" Teach barked at the younger man in front of him, his hand slowly reaching for his weapons that sat comfortably at his waist.  
"I know there is a war coming soon. I do not want to be on the losing side of it, and I believe my presence here shows which side I'm leaning towards. I have information about him that would help you capture him." the sailor answered quietly, trying not to focus his gaze on the position of Blackbeard's left hand.   
The captain now stood straighter, tightening the grip of his hand on the cutlass.

"What is your name, sailor?"

 

 

"Rog, Marko Rog."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is only one note I'd like to add tonight. (For The No Good Gang)  
> Today, the 27th of September is the one month anniversary of the creation of the holiest memes: Brother Modrić.  
> I've had a thought about something running through my mind for some time now and I think that today is the perfect day to realise it.  
> Pachua šećeru, this is for you:  
> Dear Buttly,  
> My precious sugar cube, my soulmate, my moon, my sun and my stars. From the beginning of the chat I found how we had a strong connection and I would like to thank you for putting up with my stupid innuedo talk.   
> I'll never forget the first time these old ass eyes looked upon your butt... I knew it right then and there that I would give all of my Buttholes away if I could only have you in my life. You made my life a little brighter, cause you keep shining that lamp into my eyes... Have mercy on your ćaća, c'mon now.  
> Butt for real, you made my days brighter and lighter and I thank you for that.  
> Your continuous support for this fic means the world to me. The comments you leave on the new updates are one of the biggest reasons I keep doing this, nothing has made me laugh so much as that does.  
> I'll always cherish our moments together, such as using stilts and handcuffs with Irene during our wild nights, talking about the village drama, about Manda, Cveta, Zora, Milunka... Our shit talks with tndrl and mandzukis. Our shit posting of the Oče Naš prayer brought proud tears to these blind eyes.  
> I wish for us to have plenty of new memories as well.  
> That is why, on this blessed day, with the permission of Gran and her husband Brother Modrić, I would like to propose to you.  
> My sweet Buttly, my sweet round Butt, I love you with all my but... heart.  
> I promise to love and care for you, until my heart gives out.  
> I promise to stay by your side when you catfish our family again.  
> I promise to create havoc with you and protect you from all the people who wish you wrong.  
> I love you Buttcelina, and I hope you say yes to your sugar daddy when I ask you this:
> 
> Would you marry me?


End file.
